Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP) has strongly criticised the delay in wheat procurement and alleged that growers of Southern Punjab are forced to sell their produce on throwaway prices. KBP President Sardar Zafar Hussein Khan and General Secretary Malik Muhammad Ramzan Rohari while talking to a delegation of growers claimed that farmers of Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan and other areas had brought their produce to market some 15 to 20 days back but the Punjab government was yet to initiate procurement.
They said that growers of these areas were already hit hard by flood last year and now their produce was lying in the fields under open skies but the government departments were yet to start purchase. They claimed that flour millers and middle men were procuring wheat at Rs 750 to 800 per maund from the growers and it seemed that government deliberately delaying purchase to give their dear millers and middle men a chance to multiply their wealth.
KBP leaders said that the Punjab government was daily changing the date of wheat procurement. First it announced to start wheat procurement from April 15 and then took this to April 20 in two steps but yet to start the drive. They said growers were visiting food department offices and procurement centres to get gunny bags but in vain. Growers' leaders alleged that area under wheat cultivation decreased this year due to similar attitude of the provincial good departments and Passco last year. They urged the government to bring growers out of state of confusion and start wheat procurement immediately.
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